


How One Should Confess

by Pandagirl23



Series: Enass-AU [33]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bucky Barnes & Sam Wilson Friendship, Bucky Barnes & Steve Rogers Friendship, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Bucky Barnes has a crush, Canon Divergence - Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Crushes, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Friendship, M/M, Pepper Potts & Tony Stark Friendship, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Steve is kind of a dick, Tony Stark Has A Crush, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Still Has Arc Reactor, soft tony stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:55:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28786032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandagirl23/pseuds/Pandagirl23
Summary: James comes to the logical fact that he likes the Manor local genius, billionaire, philanthropist, sweater paw wearing kitten and he wants to try to find a way to ask the man out without using text, others impersonal ways, and where words won’t completely fail him…Tony doesn’t do so hot either…
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Series: Enass-AU [33]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2017507
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	How One Should Confess

**Author's Note:**

> Literally, this fic is right off the backbone of the last fic, a little after Tony’s birthday and a little before the first week of June. Might be shorter than others but I wanted the boys to be unfortunately flustered at no one but themselves, they will get there literally in like 3 or four stories, it is gonna be a chapter fic (I think, I need to map it out)
> 
> As usual: If the story time period is confusing, please do start at Move in Day but for Tony’s quirks and issues, please start around Flare in the Dark and Tinker Wheels. If you just want to read the story, again enjoy!! 😊

Tony tapped his phone gently against his tablet in his lap. He hasn’t left the lab in… about 4 days so far. Most of his hibernation was to do with actual work and the other half was rehearsing how he can tell the ex-assassin that he has feelings for him and might want to try this whole dating than people tend to like to do.

Texting was a good option but he found that to be cowardly. Or even impersonal.

Writing a cutesy note was too a high schooler, he was a grown man, he can tell the guy he likes the guy. Ignoring the built-up crumpled paper balls in the trash can definitely not filled with confessional letters.

He could have Rhodey tell Giacomo for him but shit, that was awkward as hell when you have your best friend tell the guy you like-like him. Also, very high school worthy too.

He could ask Rogers for permission in front of the Winter Soldier to confess he likes him… that idea was canned as soon as it sang out Hell No. It already made his body crawl into bothersome thoughts of terrifying tenseness. He felt his fingers shake already at the thought of being near Rogers and his fucking shield. He gave the shield back as soon as he was able to. Well, he left it in the living room… Off-track.

The last option was face to face interactions. Talking to each other. Communication like only semi-healthy adults. Functionally dysfunctional adults that have rough edges and missing pieces.

Telling the man face to face, made his stomach flip in fear of rejection and anticipation of acceptance. It was not telling though if those two answers could turn into a freeze up and run. Tony might do that honestly before he even gets half of his confession. He is going to fry this place if he can’t get the exact words out.

Tossing his phone on the other end of the couch, shutting off his tablet, swiping all the plans away from his mind and actual face. He groaned rubbing his face, “FRI, how do you tell someone that you have stronger feelings for them than just as friends?”

FRIDAY static came out like a hmm before the speakers clicked, “Boss, I say the best ways for going about it is just tell him. We are speaking about Sergeant Barnes correct?”

Tony groaned more burrowing himself into his covers waving away at nothing in the air. Feelings, he wants to say feelings but they returned like vultures to a carcass. “Yeah… your father is having a hard time how to ask that is so elementary or high schooler but where I won’t choke on words.”

Another static hmm then silence. Tony almost was going to panic at the rather long silence until he heard his gumdrop’s voice. FRIDAY called Rhodey. Smart but god he is going to roll off the couch willing the lab to eat him. Before he can get out a greeting he also heard Pepper’s question noise. Oh, sneaky. Calling these two.

Tony proceeded to roll off the couch grunting in pain.

“Tones.”

“Tony.”

“I am on the floor, let me merge with my technology and die in peace.” He grouched out, never truly grouchy, maybe at himself for not even thinking about asking his friends how he should go about asking the Winter Soldier out.

“FRI called saying you are going through a mental crisis and it is concerning her.” Pepper informed the burrito cover man.

“Miss Potts, the boss is having a crisis on how to tell the Sarge how he feels.”

Rhodey made a noise before the noise made a happier tone. He was grinning. Tony can tell he is grinning. He can feel Pepper’s encouraging smile, maybe it has a tad bit of sly. He knows his people’s faces and smiles.

“Right, I guess we will be the test dummies on what you want to tell him?” Rhodey ventured forward with the personal mission of helping the genius with emotions.

“Can I text him?”

“NO.” Both of his friends exclaimed.

“Agh… I am just going to stay silent forever. I am going to change my superhero to mute man. MM. Much catchier than IM. I’m. Seriously. Stupid. Why did no one tell me that my superhero persona was I’m?” He rambled, blabbing on about something that was not dealing with confessing to the man close to a floor in a half above him.

“Distracting yourself won’t make it go away.” Pepper pointed out but not sounding she was scolding him. She can. He won’t even argue about the unneeded scolding. “Now do you want to tell him still, yes or no?”

Rhodey made an encouraging noise through the line.

“Yes.” The genius on the floor answered after struggling internally on if he really wanted his mechanic buddy knowing how he feels.

The sound of hands clasping together made Tony Stark sit up a little, still wrapped snuggly, “Right. Let see what you have for a confession.”

“I got nothing that doesn’t make me sound like a total tool or an anxiety-ridden mess.”

Pepper's voice came in calm and ready for the new task to take on, “I have a phone meeting around 6 pm, so we have about…” Both men listen to her shuffle around, “3 hours to get something good out.”

On the upper floors, in Sam Wilson’s bedroom sat James Barnes banging his head into the mattress. Steve sat near Sam as both watched the usually null of outwardly expressive man stressing over something.

To Steve it was something. Sam already guessed what the man was stressing. This is why Barnes stalked in sat near the bed and proceeded to… do…that.

Another five minutes has James Barnes laying on his bed staring under the bed, eyes blinking slowly but aware of everything around him.

“You good Murder McGee?”

“Sam…” Steve chided softly.

“I am concern about the headbanger brain.” Sam snickered lowly when the arm flashed up with a middle finger. “See he is fine. Sort of.”

Steve sighed even when an amused smile was on his face. Seeing his two friends have a dynamic like this made him feel blessed in a world like theirs. Still, concern lurked in him when it came to his best friend of almost a hundred years.

“Buck, are you okay anyhow? Despite what Sam says.”

Rolling on his back James stared at the ceiling lips straight in a line, jaw working along with his throat. Hands resting stiffed at his sides.

“How… How do I tell someone I like them?” He knows Sam knows who he is referring to and he knows that Steve might not but can guess. He is smart, he can connect the dots with his less than a descriptive answer.

“Oh, oh!” Steve's eyes widen in something that said the excitement and ready to help attitude. “Who is it? It depends on who it is.”

Sam blew out air already thinking how this usual quiet ass shadow creature can tell the other night creature he likes them. Knowing the simple, tell him was not going to do. James B. just won’t do it that way. He would grunt before he even says something that isn’t thought out completely. For shits and giggles though, “Just tell them you like them.”

Bucky shot the Falcon a scathing narrowed gaze before taking up the staring contest with the ceiling. He ignored Steve nodding agreeance, “How do I put it in words if you say that as if it is the simplest thing in the world.”

“Bucky, it actually is. I mean… I kissed Peggy… of course, so maybe. I am not the best at this advice, you could just tell them.” The blonde advised the glowering sniper.

“Steve is right, you can just tell them.”

“Again, how? To get the point across. To make sure they… get it.”

“Well, who is it?” Steve asked cocking his head to the side dog-like, curiosity strong behind the sea-green eyes.

Sighing a hair's breadth, James put his face into the floor. He knows he is a man that doesn’t mean he can’t sulk against the finely shaved floorboards. He can’t even think of a good way to tell Anthony that he likes him way more than he deserves to. He is selfish and he wants to keep the man bundled away in his room till the end of time. He is greedy. He has seen Anton in different ways and each way makes him shudder with need and hoarder thoughts. Again, kidnapping keeps leaking into his mind as not quite intrusive thoughts but his family and friends kind of loves him so no kidnapping… yet. Can he kidnap to show his feelings? Looking at Sam, he can already the man shake his head.

“I didn’t say shit.”

“Yeah but knowing your crazy white ass, you kidnap him before you even say a word. You said several times actually, VITO, which,” He pointed to the ceiling hearing the shy static noise of the young AI, “Gave you places to hideaway. No recruiting babies for evil shit Barnes!”

Steve looked gobsmacked until he muttered out through stumbling words, “W-Wait, you were thinking about kidnapping someone? Bucky… wait you are talking about Tony? Tony Stark? The one that blew off your arm and blew upon us. The one that is avoiding everyone like we have the plague. That Tony Stark?” He asked hands moving wildly to emphasize the man’s name repeatedly.

Bucky gave him the eyebrow tick of duh. He didn’t see the issue, they talked about it, well they have gotten closer. Steve knows this, he swears the man brain filters out anything when he talks or associates with Anthony. Then again, he also doesn’t talk about his relation—friendship with the man.

“He blew up your arm Buck! He almost killed you in cold blood! I know you two talked about it… but are you sure he is even right for you pal?”

Bucky raised the other eyebrow before letting them lower in a stern stare of duh, dumbass. Faceplanting the floor again he grunted when Sam poked his side with a toe. He would break the man's toes, but the bird is helping him (trying to).

Chuckling in good spirits, despite the floundering the big blond super-soldier is doing, “Are we going to ignore how he managed to get VITO, Virtual Interferer Towards Others, to help with the potential kidnapping scheme?” He watched the inch of realization that their mutual friend had kidnapping as a plan of wooing. “Good, we are all caught up. Steve, if you want to help, you can but if you don’t, I will continue, because it is better than seeing this sack destroy anymore innocent punching bags.”

Steve groaned putting his face in his hands muffling out something about Tony not being a good match. He let off an oof as a pillow from the floor hit him in the head, while the Winter Soldier laid on the floor still. Sam sat by him cracking up falling over.

Fine, he got the hint, he doesn’t have to help but his childhood friend was going to do this. “I will support you, but…”

“You ain’t gonna like it.” Sam finished with a joking mock, finger-wagging, “You hear me young assassin, you can’t fall in love with what you say the cutest tiniest angriest thing you ever saw.” Sam scooted back lifting his legs away when the dark-haired enhanced hum flipped over to smack his leg with the prosthetic. “Ha, I knew you try that!”

“Die, Owen.” James stared at Sam, who looked upset bottom lip jutting out, “Wow.”

“Oh fuck off with that shit Barnes.”

“What is going on?” Steve asked, he knows this another joke or insult thing between his two friends. He stopped trying to make them not curse each other every second of the die, he tries to make sure they aren’t actually dead from attacking each other. He listened to huffed laugh a smirk pulling the other face while Sam crowed at him in half disgust of being insulted. He supposes.

“We are supposed to help this jerk tell the man downstair he likes him?” Steve tried to pull the two back on topic. He really wasn’t sure what this could gain for his best friend, but… he will try to understand. He can see the appeal, Tony is handsome in a way but…

Steve wanted to ask Natasha, who has more experience with Tony Stark but… so far it was looking to be less viable noticing how his friend was closer to the man in reality. He wanted to try to find him a spunky brunette that wasn’t… baggage. That was a rather crude thought but honesty is needed. Tony can be crude, though his jerk of a friend was healing and coming along so a supportive friend is needed.

Sam blinked cutting himself from his rant about being called Owen Wilson, “Oh yeah, if this guy can stop being a ripe banana, we can figure out how he can tell the guy downstairs that he like-likes him.” Sam fluttered his eyelashes at the metal arm man who sat up glaring. If the man blushes often, then they would be seeing pink staining those pale cheeks.

Three hours and close 50 phrases, monologues, and heartfelt confessions, 45 of those were tossed, other Tony lost his confidence coming off either less confident or going into flippant mode. Other times he froze and tried to run away from the voices.

In the end, the one phrase that was simple and amazing the one that both said was, “Giacomo, Snowflake, I like you, a lot and maybe, if you feel the same… can we see where this can go?”

Tony said several times in the reflection of one of his machines he just finished for a demo presentation. He recorded himself before deleting it. He had a mentally written draft of it, the words changing as he said it repeatedly. Right, he’ll say it when they get a chance to say it when they are alone. No more cold feet.

After an additional of four hours of getting what he wanted to say to the small male, with the help from Sam and shockingly enough decent advice from Steve (he thought he was going to try for sabotage) it was really simple.

“Anthony…” He stared himself in the mirror as pre-practice to build up confidence, a truth that he knew, “I like you, beyond how I like everyone else, I want, despite not deserving it… I want to try us if you want.”

Cheeks pink, the urge to shrink into darkness and hide for the foreseeable future was tempting but he wanted this more. Taking in a silent breath of a snipe, the man went out to find the man on his mind. 

The Manor residential insomniacs ran into each other in the kitchen of all random places, both searching for something to occupy their mind. James at the counter trying to recreate the plum pie filling for a pie. Tony scouring the cabinets for food type contents that wasn’t even remotely healthy.

Both men stared at each other when the genius wandered in, hair disheveled, oil-smeared across his forehead, chin and cheeks, eyes bright and aware. James's own eyes were dull, but brighten when their eyes met, hands messy with plum sauce, his own sugary smear on his cheek and around his temple, hair is thrown up in a bun. Both dressed in loose soft clothes.

“Plum Pie?” Tony asked, forgetting the goal of hours ago.

James forgetting similar giving a small smile, “Trying. Working?”

“Not anymore. Some frosty man is trying to make a filling and might need help. Right?” Tony crept over, waiting for the other to shoo him away. When the head of the taller male nods him over, Tony got a beautiful bashful smile. James turned his head down to hide his growing smile or blush. Both.

The two roommates, friends stood side by side getting the pie filling just right, how James remembered it. Then they moved to make a blueberry pie filling. This went on till both pies were done and the two share a dead of night snack, a cap full of cofea shared till leftovers were put away and thermo empty.

Both sat comfortably side by side staring out the window of the manor. Both had separate help, unaware that the other had a confession on their lips for each other.

“Hey, I’ll see you later?” Tony spoke in a hushed tone, still staring out at the sky.

“Yeah. Of course.” James returned never going above the safe whisper level they established now.

Standing up, Tony stared at the brunette with sugar still smeared across his cheeks, the smiling eyes that spoke volumes of the contentment the man was feeling. Tony felt his lips pull in a happy tired smile, “You got sugar…” He playfully did an eclipsing circle of his whole face.

Huffing under his breath James did the same to his crush, “You as well.”

Laughing with a lightness that he can only get from a comforting night with his crush Tony put a hand on his waist, “It is called oil, not sugar. Less sweet and highly unrecommended for consumption… but good morning Giacomo.” The language of his mother and aunt falling like petals from his lips.

“Good morning to you too, Anton.” He stood watching the engineer give him a growing sleepy giddy smile. James felt his face try to do something similar, he felt it didn’t feel authentic, but Tony smiled stretched ear to ear, cheeks coloring. A wave and he was gone for another day.

James wandered back to his room. Door closing. And he screamed into his hand. Began to berate himself for not even saying anything. He couldn’t keep it up for long though, he was delighted to spend almost the whole late nighttime hours making pies. Maybe last night was not the right time, there is always next time. He can try next time.

Tony sat in his lab, cover around his shoulder staring at the simulations, upping, or decreasing numbers for an upgrade on a suit. He wanted to be angry at himself for not even uttering anything remotely close to a confession he practiced and tried to obtain for 3 hours. He felt he wasted his and his friends' time but… he couldn’t feel anything like that. He was still glowing from spending quiet time with the usual murder strutting man.

Pies and cofea. Sitting in the man’s gravity, staying in a comforting orbit of him. He felt like they were just orbiting each other. With the delightful thought, Tony shelved the confession for another time.


End file.
